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Plumbing MistakesWhile you may think that keeping your home plumbing healthy and running smoothly is a no-brainer, there are many simple mistakes that homeowners often make. These mistakes can severely damage your pipes if left untreated, or cause a wide array of other problems later on.

Take our advice: avoid making these mistakes at all costs. Not only will they harm your home plumbing, but also cost you significantly in the future. 

1.) Negligence And Improper Plumbing Care

The greatest mistake people make with their home plumbing comes from neglecting their pipes and poor use habits. You should have your home plumbing inspected by professionals annually, at the very least, and self-inspect and clean your kitchen and bathroom drains once per month. Acting proactively against clogs and poor plumbing performance can save you thousands of dollars on repairs later on. Keep an active eye out for plumbing problems, and call a plumbing professional at the first signs of damage.

Additionally, know how to properly treat your drains! Your sink’s garbage disposal is meant for food products, and nothing else. Avoid letting plastics, wrappers, animal bones cartilage and food grease into your disposal, as well as drains. Even some food products cannot be processed fully in a garbage disposal, such as fibrous foods, like celery and cornhusks, or starch foods, such as potato skins and vegetable peels.

2.) Ignoring Obvious Signs

Similar to the first point in this blog, some homeowners neglect to act upon the warning signs of pipe damage, only to wind up with increased, and more costly, damages later on. By knowing what to look for and how to detect plumbing system damages, you can mitigate labor early on and save yourself both precious time and money.

The following are common signs of pipe and plumbing damage, which you should act upon and have professional consultation over immediately:

  • Persistent or returning clogging
  • Decreased water flow and pressure
  • Dampness or moisture spots on your lawn
  • Lush grass spots
  • Lawn indentations

The repercussions of leaving these symptoms untreated can be drastic, which is why it’s important for you to act quickly if you encounter them. Too often, homeowners are faced with large-scale plumbing repairs just because they didn’t act in time, or didn’t know the signs.

3.) Having Your Pipes Repaired With Outdated Methods

Another mistake many homeowners make is one made out of a lack of information; often, they will choose to have their pipes and plumbing renovated through traditional excavations, oblivious to the incredible benefits of trenchless technology. Innovative trenchless solutions, which have recently seen a huge boom in popularity, eliminate the need for costly, unsightly and even dangerous digging. By using liquid cured-in-place pipe solutions, pipe repair experts can fix a wide range of pipe damages without ever harming your lawn!

These trenchless technologies can repair virtually any pipe damages, including those resulting from:

  • Pipe cracking, and deterioration with age
  • Faulty installation
  • Foundation movement
  • Orangeburg deterioration
  • Root penetration
  • Animal activity

The applications of trenchless technology are near limitless. Pipe repair professionals can use this technology to fully repair broken sections of pipes, fill in and reline deteriorated pipe sections, and even fully replace missing pipe. Old, outdated pipe repair solutions are impractical with today’s repair innovations.

4.) “Cleaning” Your Drains With Chemicals

Contrary to popular belief, commercial chemical cleaners are not the end-all, be-all solution for clogged or unclean drains. In fact, these chemical solutions can harm your home’s drain pipes and corrode the inner walls of your plumbing.

Chemical cleaners are able to clear drain gunk and grime through chemical reaction; foaming action, air pressure and chemical additives all work together to break apart and eliminate drain buildup. However, it’s this exact reaction that can damage your drain pipes if done routinely to clean drains. Over time, these chemicals can wear away at, corrode and damage your drains. Additionally, poor handling of these chemicals can result in sickness and serious chemical burns. While chemical cleaners can get you out of a pinch in dire circumstances, it’s best to steer clear of these “solutions” altogether.

Rather than risking your drain pipes with chemical solutions, there are some home remedies you can try when cleaning your drain pipes, such as baking soda/vinegar cleanses. Simply pour one part (cup, ½ cup) baking soda down your clogged drain followed by one equal part vinegar, and rinse through with hot water. The natural reaction of these products can dislodge any buildup in your drains much more safely than chemical cleaners.

5.) Getting In Over Your Head With DIY Repairs

If you’re brave enough to try repairing or replacing your own pipes, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting yourself in to. DIY plumbing renovations can be tough, and you can easily harm your pipes more, and accidentally worsen pipe conditions. If you feel you can handle a simple pipe fix, you’ll first need to gather the tools necessary.

Almost all DIY plumbing jobs require the following tools for a successful fix:

  • Pipe wrenches, for drain bolts and fittings
  • Basin wrenches
  • Hacksaws
  • Metal files
  • Plumber’s snakes
  • Adjustable, hex-shaped wrenches

These plumbing tools can be likely found at your local home improvement store. A common mistake many homeowners make is attempting plumbing repairs without careful consideration of what supplies they’ll need beforehand. If you’re set on fixing plumbing problems yourself, at least make sure you have the right tools ready.

Unless you’re certain you can perform pipe renovations and have the right tools for the job, we recommend leaving these repairs to the professionals, who can get your pipes back to prime running conditions with unmatched speed and reliability.

If you think you’ll need a professional evaluation of your Sacramento home’s plumbing, or need a hand in fixing your home pipes, try giving Express Sewer & Drain a call. Our plumbing professionals can meet all of your plumbing needs, and help you decide what course of action is best for drain and pipe damage in your Sacramento home.

Plumbing Drain Cleaning Special

 

Topics: Plumbing in Sacramento, Commercial Plumbing, Home Plumbing